Arsenal will welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday for a mouth-watering London derby, with both clubs looking to maintain their perfect starts to the 2026-27 campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have won all three of their matches so far, scoring seven goals while keeping three consecutive clean sheets. Their latest victory came at Villa Park, where Bukayo Saka’s goal secured a narrow 1-0 win over Aston Villa.
Despite their strong results, Arsenal’s transfer activity on deadline day raised concerns after the club allowed several attackers to leave without bringing in a replacement. Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and record sale Gabriel Martinelli all departed, leaving Arteta with fewer options in the final third.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have been one of the most entertaining teams in the league so far. Xabi Alonso’s side have scored 12 goals in their opening two Premier League matches, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brighton.
Chelsea sit just below Arsenal on goal difference and could win their opening four matches in all competitions for the first time since 2016-17.
However, history favours Arsenal heading into Sunday’s clash. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League London derbies and have also won each of their last three meetings with Chelsea. The Blues have not defeated Arsenal since August 2021.
Team News
Arsenal could welcome Declan Rice back after the midfielder was forced off during the victory over Aston Villa. Rice has been seen training during the week and is expected to be available for the derby.
Cristhian Mosquera is a bigger concern after missing Thursday’s training session. His minor issue could see Ezri Konsa make his full debut in central defence. Jurrien Timber has returned to full training following a groin problem and could be involved, but William Saliba remains sidelined with a back injury.
Chelsea are dealing with their own midfield concerns. Moises Caicedo aggravated a previous injury during the 4-3 win over Brighton and remains a doubt for the Emirates clash.
Lamine Camara will not make his anticipated Chelsea debut after Monaco unexpectedly cancelled his transfer. Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia could therefore continue to provide midfield options.
Jordan Henderson is unavailable with a wrist injury, while Marco Palestra is also out. Cole Palmer will be looking to mark his 99th Premier League appearance for Chelsea by scoring his 50th league goal for the club.
Possible Lineups
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Lacroix, Colwill, Fofana; James, Gusto, Lavia, Hato; Rogers, Palmer; Pedro
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 16:30pm (WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball predicts Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea.
